Messages

Messages are pre-defined voice or text messages that you can setup before an emergency occurs. By pre-recording your messages, you can minimize the time required to start an event and will know in advance what kind of message will be sent to your emergency contacts.

Messages are assigned a two digit id, from 01 to 99.

Audio messages require an audio recording to be useful, and you may wish to include a text and audio title. The text title will be used on the website to help you select the correct audio recording. The audio title is used by the phone interface to help you find or verify you have the correct message selected. You can listen to the audio title on the edit page.

Text messages require a text message, and you may wish to include a text and audio title. The text title will be used on the website to help you select the correct audio recording. The audio title is used by the phone interface to help you find or verify you have the correct message selected. You can listen to the audio title on the edit page.

Please be aware that when an event is started, a copy of the message is made and updates to the pre-recorded message will NOT change the event. If you wish to change or stop an event, you can use view the event and use the "change event configuration" button.

Audio Format

Audio messages should be uploaded using a PCM, Mono, WAV file format.

Most sample/bit rates will work. However, using 8.000 kHz, 8 Bit, Mono will give the best results as this is a similar rate to what the phone system carries.

Text Messages (optional)

Enter a text message that can be sent to the list members.

You may use the following dynamic text strings in your message. They will get automatically replaced when the message is sent to the recipient.

%event% The event number.
%name% The name listed for the recipient. Allows for personalization.
%pin% The primary identification number for the recipient. This is the number they need to enter if they call back in to the Alertcast system.
%ret% This is a carriage return and will begin a new line on devices that support newlines.
%contact% The contact address, such as the pager number, cell phone number, or email address.
%webresponselink% Inserts a two line message that includes a web link to a response page where a response can be set, and the audio message may be heard.
%webresponseurl% Inserts just the URL for the web link to the response page, without any extra text explaining what the link is.
The following are also supported, but their value does not change based on either the event or the recipient, so fixed values will work just as well.
%call% This is the standard callback number (888-540-6685).
%company% Your account name.

Example:
Please call %call% and enter event id %event%.

Some cell phones may only be able to receive messages up to 160 characters.
Most pagers are be limited to messages up to 120 characters.
All other text messages are limited to 5000 characters.
If you need to know who successfully received your text notification, you will have to have the recipient call back in to the Alertcast system. If you are only using text notifications and will be includng all the event information in the text message, you can record a standard message that simply thanks them for calling in and then re-use the message for every event.